For many examinations that use imaging equipment such as nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment, computed tomography (CT) equipment, and other X-ray examination equipment, the patient is lying down on a patient table (PTAB). Due to limitations of physical condition of the patient, the patient may only be examined when lying down on the patient table.
At least a part of the patient table (e.g., a top board) may move horizontally. After the patient lies down on the patient table, the horizontally movable part may move from a position outside the examination equipment to a target examination position.
Several approaches have been used to facilitate patient placement on a patient table. For example, in commonly-assigned Chinese patent ZL200610005074.X, a patient table configured for use in an X-ray system and a control method are described. To facilitate safe, easy mounting of a patient onto a patient table, the patient table is provided with a patient mounting aider. The patient mounting aider includes at least one extendable and retractable and/or fold-up and fold-down foot step.
An alternative way to assist a patient in mounting onto a patient table is to provide the patient table with a capability to lift vertically. The vertically lifting capability may be provided by a vertical actuator.
For example, the vertical lifting motion of a patient table described in European patent application publication number EP 2168484 A1 is provided by a vertical lifting drive apparatus that includes a vertical lifting electric motor. The vertical drive apparatus does work bearing all of the load weight of the patient table during the lifting process.
In other patient tables, other drive apparatuses may be provided to drive the motion of the patient table. A patient platform used for equipment that is easily affected by electrical or magnetic interference (e.g., an MRI scanner) is described in the commonly-assigned Chinese patent application publication number CN 1969747 A. The patient platform is moved horizontally or vertically by a hydraulic apparatus rather than electric motors since electric motors may generate interference for the equipment.
To save costs, a patient table may be equipped with a drive apparatus configured for moving in only the horizontal direction and a set of manual vertical lifting auxiliary tools for lifting the patient table. For example, the vertical lifting auxiliary tool may include a lifting-jack-type or mechanical-lead-screw-type mechanism. The patient table may include a high-position pin hole and a low-position pin hole. An operator may jack up or lower the patient table (e.g., top board) manually by the mechanism, and insert a pin into the preceding pin hole to position the patient table at the desired high position or low position. Such a manual motion mechanism has mechanical self-locking. The efficiency of the manual motion mechanism is relatively low, and the operation is time-consuming and power-consuming.